6 minute read
The Best Barbecue!
Blind Box BBQ sets its sights on community.
Article by Kari Williams
Photos by Brooke Buck
People assume Joe Tulipana has a background in barbecue competition because of his restaurant’s namesake. But the owner of Shawnee’s Blind Box BBQ reverse-engineered his way into the business.
Instead of following the path of many barbecue restaurateur and starting on the competition circuit, he opened the restaurant and then dipped his toes in the competitive arena.
“I found out it was such a big time commitment, like a whole weekend,” Tulipana says, “and at that time, the restaurant was getting busier, so I just couldn’t do it. I kind of did it in reverse order compared to a lot of restaurants [that] open up from their success in competitions.”
Blind Box BBQ, 13214 W. 62nd Terrace, opened in 2015—when Tulipana was 24 years old—in a former hibachi restaurant.
“While we were doing the demo, I left one of the hood vents up, pulled a little smoker in here and was testing recipes and cooking processes all at the same time as building out the restaurant,” he says.
The young restaurateur goal was to create a comfortable, casual space for everyone.
“Whether it’s date night or a business lunch, or you’re coming from church, coming from the gym, etc.— everybody’s welcome, obviously, and we try to keep that vibe pretty relaxed,” Tulipana says.
A New Take on a KC Classic
Blind Box’s made-from-scratch take on classic Kansas City barbecue has led to a variety of menu items, including some that aren’t strictly barbecue—such as barbecue nachos or barbecue wontons (Blind Box’s version of crab rangoon).
The restaurant also has a bourbon bar, Sunday brunch, live music, drop-and-go orders, catering and all-day happy hour on Thursdays.
Tulipana says he didn’t know what to expect when Blind Box opened, but Shawnee has been loyal since the start.
“It’s been a great community,” he says. “We were a lot busier than expected right off the bat, which was great, but it also pointed out areas of opportunity for us to improve.”
Nine years later, Tulipana says Blind Box is constantly improving and learning to keep up with the market.
“That’s what I love about it,” he says. “Every single day is different. Every single day is a challenge. But at the end of the day, it’s seeing guests’ faces, seeing them taking pictures; bringing joy from something you’re able to cook and create over a long 9-, 12-, 15-hour process is pretty awesome.”
Leeway for Creativity
What makes Blind Box stand out, says Tulipana, is a combination of the guest experience and the menu variety. As a small business, Blind Box has “a lot of leeway” when it comes to the menu, he says.
“We like to be creative and offer specials whenever we want, and I think the people really enjoy that too,” he says. “If it’s just the same barbecue menu over and over and over, I don’t think you can survive like that. So we’re always trying to change or improve and keep it fun and light.”
While serving the best barbecue is Blind Box’s goal, Tulipana says their guests come first.
“I just don’t want to make this feel like a corporate transaction,” he says. “In an oversaturated barbecue market, it’s easy to go somewhere else. My No. 1 priority is taking care of our guests.”
Expanding and Improving
When Blind Box’s second location opened in 2019 inside Nebraska Furniture Mart at the Legends, it presented the opportunity to expand into coffee.
“They were looking for a coffee vendor at the time, so we jumped on board,” Tulipana says.
A shared dining room includes Blind Box on one side and The Pressed Pig, offering Thou Mayest coffee, pastries and snacks, on the other.
“We try to be the best partner we can be to [Nebraska Furniture Mart] to continue that relationship and keep building, and the biggest thing with it is … we’re never satisfied, in the sense of [we’re] always learning,” Tulipana says. “Whether it’s new barbecue, new cuisines, new coffee, it’s always building and recognizing there’s always room to improve.”
Since 2015, Blind Box’s original Shawnee location has added two additional spaces, allowing for the expansion of the patio. They also are wrapping up what Tulipana considers the final expansion in Shawnee—having two walk-ins, one for the main kitchen and one for the carryout kitchen.
“That said, I think there’s still a lot of opportunity for growth here in Shawnee, and that’s where my main focus is right now,” he says. “You know, I’d love to open up more locations. That’s definitely the goal, but the last thing I’d want to do is not have all the right processes in place, and rush it when there’s a lot more we can do here in Shawnee.”
Shawnee location
13214 W. 62nd Terrace
913-268-4227, ext 2
Monday to Thursday: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
Village West location
1601 Village West Pkwy
Kansas City, KS 66111
913-268-4227, ext 3
Sunday to Friday: 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
What’s in a name?
“Blind box” is a barbecue competition term for the boxes the competitors use to anonymously submit their food for judging.
More than a restaurant
Beyond its traditional restaurant offerings, Blind Box offers specials and catering. One of its longest-running specials is its holiday offerings for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. They offer carry-out the day before the holiday with hot and cold options that include whole turkeys, prime rib, cornbread casserole and other traditional dishes. The cold option comes with reheating instructions.
Catering services are provided for occasions ranging from corporate events to weddings and rehearsal dinners.
Patrons can also hold an in-house event in one of Blind Box’s private rooms
